Southern University at Baton Rouge proposes to implement a new doctoral program in biomedical sciences with emphasis in molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry. A letter of intent has been approved by the University's governing Board and is currently under review by the Louisiana Board of Regents -- the coordinating body for higher education in Louisiana. To ensure the success of this interdisciplinary initiative, the University will capitalize on the faculty strengths and resources in the departments of chemistry and biology. The RCMI thrust will enable the institution to strengthen its research infrastructure and faculty capability through the establishment of a Center in Cellular and Molecular Biology. The primary aim of the Center would be to provide the foundation for launching a doctoral program of the highest quality, one which will be noted for faculty productivity and or for the quality of graduates who would leave the University as competitive scholars and practicing scientists. To achieve this goal, the University is requesting five-year funding to support the following five initiative within the Center: (1) the funding of a new investigators component which would include three faculty positions in the areas of cell biology, molecular biology and biochemistry, (2) the implementation of a multifaceted faculty development program that includes a research collaborative effort in which two faculty members would conduct research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Louisiana State University, (3) the support of seven project elements proposed by investigators already active in biomedically related areas (4) the establishment of a centralized bio-instrumentation laboratory, and (5) the implementation od Research Resources component. The University will demonstrate its commitment by purchasing equipment, by contributing faculty and administrative time to the RCMI effort, and by giving graduate research a high level of priority in compensation and other forms of faculty recognition. The proposed program will also contain a tiered evaluation design which will include and internal assessment by University representatives, routine evaluation by the RCMI advisory committee, and annual assessment by external consultants. Faculty productivity and grant acquisition will serve as the centerpiece for formative evaluation. The ultimate test of quality and of the University's commitment will be the implementation of the doctoral program and the competitiveness of the graduates who complete the course of study.